L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 36 L'Italo-Americano Five Italian reds for the great outdoors I lay out loden-green woolen trousers and shirt, purcha- sed at a second-hand shop. In the corner of the room, carbon fiber hiking poles stand ready. Backpack: alpine chees e; mountain bread; prosciutto di San Daniele; mineral water; one of Italy's high altitude wines.Word of the day: Up. Up, until the trees are below and the view opens to 50 clear miles in ever y dir ection. Sunny now. Stop: time for lunch. In his book A Moveable Feast, writer Ernest Hemingway s aid of paintings in the Luxembourg Museum, "… all the paintings were sharpened and clearer and more beautiful if you were belly-empty, hollow-hun- gry." Similarly, the combination of fresh outdoor air and an empty belly can add an unforgettable level of deliciousness to a simple rucksack lunch featuring Italy's alpine cheese and wine. When pairing wine with alpi- ne cheeses you want to stick close to young, fruity reds or dry w hites . The regions of A lto Adige, Lombardia and Valle d'Aosta offer excellent options for both (I will cover the whites in a subsequent article). Though Teroldego is cultiva- ted in other areas of Italy, the w ine is s trongly linked to Trentino, where it is one of the region's most important reds. Its intense fragrance – red and black forest berries, floral notes of vio- lets, balsam and herb – seems apropos w hen the w ine is enjoyed outside in the open air. Look for 100% Teroldego wines of Rotaliano, an undisputed cru level area for Teroldego, under the Teroldego Rotaliano DOC. I shall direct you first and foremo- s t to producer Elis abetta Foradori whose wines are easily available in the US. Lagrein's center of gravity is around Bolzano where it is one of the mos t popular of A lto A dige red w ines . U nlike Teroldego, plantings of Lagrein are es s entially confined to Trentino-Alto Adige. The wine has impressive, fresh aromas of cherries and forest berries and, not unlike Teroldego, notes of violets. Lagrein's satiny texture adds to its easy drinking charac- ter. A typical, slightly bitter almond note on the finish mar- ries especially well to the autumn outdoors. To experience some stellar examples of Lagrein, I recommend you find your way to the wines of producers Abbazia di Novecella, Cantina Bolzano or Muri-Gries. In the territory of Valtellina, located in Lombardy, Nebbiolo is know n locally as Chiavennes ca. N ebbiolo in Valtellina differs from what you may know of that grape variety's cultivation elsewhere in Italy by way of its mountain viticulture and unique Valtellina terroir. The wines are complex and intensely perfumed, showing notes such as cherries, dried roses and autumn leaves – a sensorial tie -in to the autumn landscape – violets and black tea. The wines are velvety on the palate, with grippy, grace- ful tannins. I always appreciate the bracing tartness of these wines, especially when enjoyed outdoors. Look for wines of the V altellina S uperiore D O CG , which may include subzones such as Sasella or Grumello, or w ines from the Ros s o di Valtellina DOC, which will be younger and likely with more moderate alcohol content than those of the former. Schiava makes refreshing, lighter-bodied reds that are com- paratively lower in tannins, redo- lent of red fruit perfume – cher- ries, strawberries, raspberries - almond and flowers. The uncom- plicated, easy-drinking nature of Schiava wines makes them a natural choice to include in the rucksack for an outdoor trek and lunch. The primary cultivation zone for Schiava is in Italy's northeast, around the area of Alto Adige. When looking for Schiava wines, consider the Alto A dige/S udtirol D O C, w hos e Schiava wines may impress you as being fuller-bodied examples, or thos e of Lago di Caldaro/Kalterersee DOC, which you may find to be a bit softer. Les t w e forget Italy's northwest, we must make men- tion of Petit Rouge, one of Valle d'Aosta's oldest grape varieties. There are monovarietal wines to be had, although you are more likely to encounter Petit Rouge as component of a blend, for example, in Torrette or Chambave wines, or in greater proportion, in wines of the small subzone Enfer d'Arvier. Petit Rouge makes wines wonderfully tart and fruity wines, not at all dissimilar (in that way) from Gamay (Beaujolais), that scream "exhilarating." Seek out Petit Rouge wines under the Valle d'Aosta DOC and its subzones. Recommended producers inclu- de Danilo Thomain, Grosjean Frères, Les Crêtes. Luckily, these wonderfully refreshing reds are just as refre- shing at the table – or on the sofa, for that matter – as they are on any good day of hiking. By the w ay, my favorite cheeses to tuck into the rucksack include Fontina d'Aosta, moun- tain G orgonzola, M ontas io, Taleggio and Crucolo. Tasting Note D anilo Thomain Enfer D'Arvier. Bright, clear, essential aromas of mixed berries, bracing scents of floral rose and spice. Round and velvety-soft in the mouth. H ints of medicinal mountain herb on the finish. Spicy, sporting freshness, is both exhilarating and delicious. WINE NEWS TRENDS PROFILES JOEL MACK THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2017 Teroldego, Chiavennesca and Lagrein are perfect paired with Alpine cheeses and cold cuts The regions of Alto Adige, Lombardia and Valle d'Aosta offer lovely wines to enjoy while trekking or having a pic nic

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